No one could really blame Rei for gazing at the earth one night. It wasn't that she wished to return back to her life. She missed her friends and her job. She wondered what everyone was doing, if Hoshiro noticed that she was gone. If anyone at all noticed that she was missing. Then to add to her problems, she still hadn't seen Usagi and it has been two days. She knew that the one who had kidnapped her wasn't the real Usagi. That person was a fake, a fraud and had made a fool out of Rei and the others.
She reached out the window, pretending that she could touch the earth. They weren't being held prisoner in their rooms, they were free to wander the moon as they pleased. They all knew, in their hearts, that something was amiss. She sighed and touched a button on her shirt. Nothing made sense anymore.
One thing was that she couldn’t explain why they had been brought to the moon in the first place. What was the reason? Rei frowned. She hated it when she wasn’t in control of the events at hand.
************
"Damn!" Earthia cursed. She paced the hard stone floor. Her heels clicked across the smooth surface. "I don't believe this, that little wench!" Her fist slammed into the wall.
Anger increased the green aura around her. She cursed and stomped, taking her anger out on the wall until it was full of dents and holes from her ruthless attack, yet nothing made her feel better.
"Earthia.... what are you so upset about?" whispered a small insecure voice.
Earthia stopped and softly gazed at Lady Earthia Gaia III, the younger more childlike version of herself. She unclenched her fists and looked at the ceiling.
"Nothing for you to be concerned about Gaia. Go back to your capsule and don't come out until I tell you to. Understand?" she commanded in a firm voice. Gaia hung her head and slowly walked back through the opening of which she came.
"Damn you Rinko. How is it that you have only one child and yet continued to be so powerful?" Earthia sighed. Lady Earthia Gaia II slumped down in a chair. The room was mostly empty except for the chair and a table with two glowing spheres. She had spent much time in this room, and the pin drop silence calmed her.
"I don't believe it. Even when the other planets are not behind her she is able to defeat me. But how?" Earthia questioned. She held up her hand and one of the spheres floated to her outstretched palm.
"I have three direct children and she had one, and yet I am defeated every time she fights with me. How?" She directed the question to the glowing sphere.
"I cannot answer your questions my dearest mother. Even though I am part of you, but I do not know about anything that was before my birth," said the light in a strong male drawl.
"What about your feelings my son?" she asked the light.
"I have none but the ones for you," he said obediently.
"Yes... my power flows through you, as it dose your brothers."
"My brothers are traitors of whom should be killed. Then that wasted power will return to you."
"It would have been easy to do so, but they are under Rinko's protection, and I cannot touch them while she and her child lives. Even so… they are still very important to my plan. There are so many elements in this puzzle. I mustn’t allow Rinko to gain the upper hand. I refuse to be defeated."
"Do not fret mother for I have a plan."
"A plan?"
"Yes," and he began to explain while Earthia listened carefully.
**************
Chibi-chibi held the crystal to her chest while she sat next to Usagi in the dark room of the Shinto Shrine. Although the sun was half way up it's rays had not reached the back room of the shrine. Mamoru, no longer Tuxedo Kaman held her limp body close to his chest, holding back tears. Usagi's breathing was shallow and unsteady and her eyes would not open.
Starluck's light was dim as she lay upon Usagi's shoulder, close to her neck. Her wings had become a part of Usagi's skin and tiny lights could be seen moving back and forth between the body of Starluck and Usagi. Starluck's eyes were closed in concentration.
"Don't worry Mamoru-kun. Starluck has done this before. Usagi won't die today,"
Chibi-chibi said carefully. Mamoru looked up and nodded.
"I know, but I was just so afraid when she suddenly fell over like that."
"It was Rinko," Chibi-chibi grinned. Mamoru was surprised. This woman was hated among the other scouts, but she seemed the complete opposite when Chibi-chibi spoke of her.
"You mean that light and Usagi falling over?"
"Yes. You see Usagi is the only one capable of maintaining and giving off the power of the moon until the others are revived and given human bodies, and since Usagi is the only one able to do so Rinko becomes weak after each major burst of energy."
"I don't understand. Is Rinko part of-" he stopped when Usagi stirred in his arms with a soft moan. She called for him and he held her tighter whispering promises into her ear. Starluck sighed and detached herself from Usagi. She fluttered over to Chibi-chibi's head and yawned.
"She'll be fine now, but I need to rest," and with that Starluck fell asleep. Chibi-chibi smiled stood up with caution. She walked over to Mamoru and handed the crystal to him. Mamoru took it graciously and smiled at her.
"He was calling for you. Did you hear?" she questioned.
"Yes... I felt him," Mamoru sighed. "But I need to find the others before the next full moon."
"I see. Well, I'll tell you right now, Kunzite is lost to you, so I suggest you look for the others."
"What are you talking about?”
"Kunzite is still within Earthia's possession, and since we have Jedite I imagine that she will keep close to Kunzite and we are not strong enough to take her on again."
Mamoru nodded, he didn't want Usagi to be hurt again.
The fight that they had just fought was won by luck. Earthia was about to do away with Mamoru and Usagi. Usagi had hit her head on the ground and was knocked out.
Mamoru was lacking the strength to move and Starluck and Chibi-chibi were unable to get to them in time.
It was then that a bright light surround them and Usagi was lifted out of his arms to stand on her own two feet. She seemed to glow a bright silver color but her eyes never opened once. With a swipe of her hand Earthia was pushed down the stairs of the Shinto shrine with extreme force. Earthia, in a flurry of curses and vows of revenge had vanished.
"Mamo-chan," Usagi whispered. Mamoru held her head up so he could gaze in those pools of blue.
"I'm here Usagi."
"Did we win?" she asked with a weak lopsided grin that brought tears to his face as he nodded, holding her tight once again.
“At this point in time you should consider Rinko a very strong ally,” Chibi-chibi said quietly. Mamoru nodded. “She sent for us to help you retrieve your generals. Although I have to say that after the reaming two generals are retrieved you will no longer need my assistance.”
“Your right Chibi-chibi. I have no idea how to find the other crystals,” Usagi breathed. Mamoru held a finger over her lips.
“Well,” Chibi-chibi paused. “That is what I was sent for.”
“Arigato,” Mamoru said. Chibi-chibi nodded. She turned and looked outside. They were running out of time. Rinko needs the power transfusion to defeat Earthia. She knew that the only down side was that Earthia could harness that same power and destroy the universe. Too weak to do all of this on her own Rinko had called upon her allies. They only had a few weeks before the day of reckoning was upon them.
************
The ‘Food for Usagis’ Restaurant belonged to Makoto Kino, but it was closed now, and Mamoru suspected that it would be closed for a long time. He walked around the establishment, looking for some way of entering without setting of the alarm. Carefully he lifted the back window, which had been left cracked open, and moved to the front of the restaurant. The sun reflected off of the mirrors in the sitting area and covered the place with a golden hue.
Chibi-chibi had said to look here for Nephlite's crystal. A pattern seemed to form around the crystals and the places where the senshi lived and worked. Right now Usagi and Chibi-chibi were at Ami's apartment. Starluck was sleeping back at his own place while he committed an act of breaking and entering.
He had realized that the crystals were connected to each senshi. Jedite must have been connected to Rei in the past because Chibi-chibi and Starluck had found Jedite’s crystal at Rei’s office. He suspected that Nephrite and Zoicite would be connected with Ami and Makoto.
His mind wandered back to the night Usagi was taken from him. If Rinko needed their help, why didn’t she ask them? If she truly meant to protect Usagi why were they left in mystery? Something told him that that there were some empty gaps in this story, but he pushed it to the back of his mind.
***********
Usagi sighed and closed Ami's closet. Chibi-chibi entered the bedroom and shook her head.
"I don't understand where it could be. I've searched all over." Usagi sighed. She looked around the neat room. Just like Ami, everything was in its place. Notes and books were set in neat piles on her desk around her computer. Usagi smiled and fingered the communicator that they all had since their high school days. She was slightly surprised that
Ami still had hers.
"Usagi." Chibi-chibi said.
"Yes?"
"No, no," Chibi-chibi held up a disk. "It says Usagi."
"A disk with my name on it?" Usagi wondered. She took the disk from the young girl and inserted in the computer. She had to congratulate herself on remembering how to work a computer, especially one as complicated as Ami's.
Words and numbers moved across the screen. They skimmed through diagrams and charts all on the disk.
"It looks like an energy program using... rabbits?" Chibi-chibi questioned. Usagi laughed. Before turning it off she went through a few more charts and pictures while
Chibi-chibi moved around the room. A stone labeled 'Zoicite Beta' caught her eye and she called her friend over.
"Look at this. It says 'Zoicite Beta is vitreous combined with a thrombin mineral. It is a silicate of calcium and aluminum, which can be replaced by iron, and test results show that it releases large amounts of energy.'"
"What?"
"Yeah. It also says that it's hard to come by and take years to develop in the earth's crust. It says that there is only one stone of this kind in Japan that gave off an energy rating of thirteen hundred, the highest rating ever known," Usagi concluded.
"I wonder who else knows about this and if Ami has the stone in her possession,"
Chibi-chibi thought.
"Her job!" Usagi yelled. Chibi-chibi jumped. "If it's not here it would be at her job.
I remember in school that Ami was always very organized and her things would be in one of two places. Home and school," Usagi paused and glanced around the room. "And if it's not here then it has to be at her job."
*************
Mamoru climbed out the window with the stone that contained Nephlite's soul and set it in his pocket. It hadn't been hard to find. It was buried deep under some crates and bags of food. He had sensed the energy of Nephlite and got a hold of it. He wondered if Usagi was having any luck as he walked into his apartment. He also prayed that she wans’t in any danger while she was out of his sight.
He heard Starluck talking to someone and he crept into his room where they had placed her earlier. A woman with two buns on her head, like Usagi, sat on Mamoru's bed.
Ribbons circled the main strands of hair and she held Starluck in the palm of her hand. She smiled when Starluck pointed to a small tin box on Mamoru's bookshelf.
"What is this?" Mamoru asked. He didn't put his mind in defensive mode, since he felt no evil aura about this woman, but he did remain wary of the woman.
"Oh Mamoru-kun. Your back," Starluck nodded her little head, and flew over to his side, resting on his head. "Any luck?"
"Yeah, but Starluck," he glanced back at the woman, who seemed to glow. "Who is this?" Starluck blushed a deep read, having her lack of manner show.
"Do not be afraid. I am Lady Rinko," the woman said softly. She stood up and moved over to the tin box, which contained Jedite. She explained that she was from the moon and told him that the other senshi were in good health. Rinko held Jedite in her hand with care. Her fingers moved delicately over the smooth surface.
"So you have Nephlite as well?" she asked Mamoru.
"Yes. I herd from Starluck, that you would be able to give them their bodies back," he commented while he was handing her Nephlite. A hint of hope shadowed his words.
Rinko smiled as she realized why Hime loved him so much. He was pure and he cared dearly for others.
"Mamo-chan! Are you in?" yelled Usagi from the other side of his front door. His head spun and he rushed, practically ran, to the door and threw it open. Usagi stood grinning with another stone between her fingers. He scooped her up and spun her around, kissing her gently upon her lips.
"Such love..." Rinko sighed with a smile. Usagi's energy made her stronger.
"Rinko!" Usagi gasped when she finally spotted Rinko leaning against the wall.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, hiding behind Mamoru.
"Starluck has informed me that you have the stones."
"No, we still have to get Kunzite," Usagi said. Mamoru squeezed her arm and shook his head.
"We have to get Kunzite another time," he said.
"Earthia will have him close, so it's best that we wait a while," Chibi-chibi piped up.
"I agree," Rinko said. She held out her hand to Usagi.
"But we still have a week on earth left," Usagi whined. Mamoru held her tight and she held onto his shirt. She didn't want to leave him just yet. Not when everything was going so well.
"Please, Rinko-san, let her stay with me," he pleaded. Rinko stared down at them and then looked out the window. It was starting to get dark. Soon she would return to the moon, and the danger was still great on earth.
"Take him with you Hime-san. Take him to the moon with us," Rinko suggested.
Usagi issued a weary look to Mamoru. He let go of her and got down on one knee, holding out her hand. He smiled at her surprised look. He ran his lips over the back of her hand.
"I'd be honored if you allowed me to follow you to the moon," he said. Tears shone at the corners of Usagi's eyes.
"Oh Mamo-chan… I..." she stuttered and he stood up again pulling her into a secure embrace.
"I love you Usako... Say you want me to come with you."
"I do... Mamo-chan I do."
The silence of hope filled the air and space. On the Moon the indescribable feelings of danger and hope occupied the few living things that took residence there. The danger and confusion of the present situation made everyone uneasy. Even, some say, that the gods stirred in their beds that night.
-----Authors Note----
Oh my, oh my. Finally I can throw some stuff out. There is a lot of information that I have to add, but I can’t add too much or I’d give the entire story away. This is what I call my slow chapter. I promise that the next one will answer a few questions. I love feedback. Keep Reading! Keep Writing!
